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Despite a weak and cheesy opener (“Click Click Click”), he and his cohorts do a reasonable job updating their sound and adding adult themes to their lyrics, while employing hip guests like Akon, Lady Gaga, and Ne-Yo. These contributors – along with squeaky-bedspring synthesizers (think Usher's “Yeah”), programmed beats, slick, “Auto-Tuned” vocals, and lightning-tongued raps – give the disc a current R&B spin.

His gritty tracks are populated by broken characters who are trying to keep a family together after losing a son in the coal mines; breaking up after a miscarriage; running away from an old love; or selling the family land – real tough stuff.

Knight sings like a rougher John Mellencamp. In fact, it's easy to imagine Mellencamp sounding like Knight had he gone country instead of making it in pop and rock. Knight also writes and plays twangy rock guitar like a younger, less confrontational Steve Earle.

Like Earle, he can also churn out rocking declarations or straight-shooting love songs, but he's at his best when spinning hard-times tales.